In the past two weeks, I have started working my way through documentaries and books featuring Eleanor Roosevelt. I recently completed a list of any book I could find attributed to her available on Amazon. Currently, I am working my way through "Eleanor Roosevelt with Love A Centenary Remembrance" by Elliott Roosevelt which was used in part as a reference for the PBS documentary "The Roosevelts An Intimate History." At 166 pages it is a relatively short read which is especially convenient for the time being as there are only a few more weeks before moving back to UMaine.

Kimberly Lawton

The book although not published by Eleanor Roosevelt, it is a really good introduction to my new pet project which may or may not last for years to come. As much as it would be amazing to just sit down and read through absolutely everything in one shot, thanks to the required reading for my course load I highly doubt any major progress will be made until around winter break. Even then, making any progress is likely to be a longshot as I hope to be working at some degree during the break.

Kimberly Lawton

If I have learned anything from Mrs, Roosevelt is "you must do the things you think cannot do." There are around 13 books on my list as of this moment in time if I add every other book I can find then the book total could increase exponentially. Then there are websites and databases to consider as well.

Kimberly Lawton

Why read all of this? Why not?! Eleanor Roosevelt inspired the people of her generation through lectures, radio broadcasts, correspondence, and newspaper columns. She became entirely herself and expressed her opinions boldly to the public even if they didn't align with her husband's views or her famous family members. Thanks to her travel across the country and the world, attention was drawn to critical issues such as aiding the poor and fighting against discrimination. Without her influence, it is likely that the United States and the world as we know it today would be very different.

Kimberly Lawton

She is one of the best examples of a woman who rose above the gender roles that defined her generation and made her voice heard, changing if not bending the perspective of women in society.